This custom figure is inspired by the design of a competitor from the SyFy show FaceOff. I've always liked the character's design. When I worked as an actor at an outdoor haunted trail attraction, this costume/makeup was also used by a friend of mine and they called the character 'Scoops', so that's the name I went with for this interpretation. And ever since I first saw a huge ice cream truck in stores, with all the accessories, I started daydreaming about possibilities, and eventually put two and two together. So...this is the end result once I got around to finally purchasing and weathering it to fit the style of my 'Astraverse'.
'Scoops' The Ice Cream Man is what everyone in the wastelands called him, for they did not know his true name or origins, or what he did before the end of the modern world. All they knew is that he had a traveling ice cream truck that was always well-stocked, especially during the summer days, and sold everything from cones, milkshakes, pretzels, donuts, etc. Scoops never revealed where he got his supply from, only asked for something in return for his delicious treats, even if it was just a clever joke or conversation. And yes, many had attempted to 'rob" or 'hijack' his ride and goods, but several eye witnesses claimed it did not end well for those who tried. Though 'creepy' at first sight because of his disfigured appearance, many came to find that Scoops was an all-around jolly and light-hearted fellow, albeit with a dark sense of humor, often joking around with his customers and occasionally playing pranks on them. Some theorized about his true identity and why he insisted on dressing up the way he did; they believed he had been an actual entertainer or performer, working the food truck gig on the side just to make ends meet. But the apocalypse caused Scoops to become mentally unstable, continuing to 'act the part' just to maintain some semblance of identity amidst all the chaos and confusion. Others also believed he had some kind of martial arts experience, claiming to have seen him perform what they described as 'Klown Fu' on a group of raiders who attempted to rob him. Despite his ominous appearance, Scoops lived a peaceful and honest existence in the wastes, only wishing to carry out his business and trade with others. And maybe, possibly, making friends or deeper connections with someone special.
Posts : 19249 Join date : 2018-03-29 Location : Somewhere between myth and reality.
Excellent. I'm not much into clown-like make up and stuff, but I absolutely love this addition to Astraverse (we'll keep saying it, it's a thing!). The ice cream truck is huge. And I still love your new female character and her sense of humor. I just don't understand what happened to cause the accident. But the figures, truck, setting, and photography are beautiful and your work on the truck most impressive.
Let me start with a famous quote from a songwriter: "Respect to the man in the icecream van." -HPBaxxter
It is really the best way to sell ice cream
1. just ram into your customers, 2. pretend it was the "icy" road 3. ??? 4. profit
I like your characters, they all have this super used look. The striped leg of scoops is a nice touch with the striped arms. On the first pic i lreally liked the ice cream van on the second I though: Wow this is huge, the figure looks a bit lost in it even. But I like both your vehicles and the scenes on top of the van.
The best thing about your figures is the theme, you can go in any backyard and have a nice postapocalyptic option.
_________________ The knight is darkest just before the dawn.
Wow! what a great character and concept! Everything about this is so cool!. I also enjoyed the backstory you wrote, very interesting. I thought at first he was going to be some kind of nut or crazy killer, but he actually turned out just to be a nice but weird guy. I agree with the others, the accident sequence of pics is superb! I hope we get to see more of him,
Posts : 7223 Join date : 2019-01-11 Location : the far, bright center
What a creepy and awesome looking character! His design is absolutely superb! And overall adorable little photo story.
Your paintjob on that ice cream van is so creative, I love it. The colour, especially!
Regarding how overly large the vehicle is, I wonder if raising the driver's seat a bit higher might help make the figure look a little less dwarfed by it? and I bet some of that space at the top of the van could be converted somehow into a loft or something for him to sleep in, like a camper van.
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"The happy ending of the fairy tale, the myth, and the divine comedy of the soul, is to be read, not as a contradiction, but as a transcendence of the universal tragedy of man."
Ignoring current 'official' Star Wars content for my own sanity.
This is creepy, and humorous, and just brilliantly executed! Really love the "lived in" look with all the weathering and fraying and strategically placed wear and tear (it's kinda what I'm into ). I actually think the oversized van is perfect, makes it look way more like a "clown car" and bizarre. A correctly scaled van wouldn't have been as funny and creepy.
Posts : 14455 Join date : 2018-03-30 Location : Island of Misfit Toys
Creepy weird. Especially that first pic -- I honestly thought he was going to turn out to be some sort of serial killer. (I've seen WAY too many previews for movies that I don't even plan to see). Very cool. So, who's the more reckless driver? Nice use of FaceApp.
Beautiful work again sir. Thinking of your Halloween costumes you once posted I can totally see you sporting that beautiful hat.
- I also get some nice sincere vibes from him, some how. While of course he still has that serial killer vibe Stryker mentioned, he does not seem like that kind of ice cream van guy who abducts people in his ice cream van. - I agree with that fuzzy tank girl, I actually love how 'wrong 'and huge the van looks, like you could fit an army of icecream clown robots in there. Playing a distorted ice cream jingle tune. - I like bright colors dampened but still shining through apocalyptic mold a lot. The dirty whites, bright vlues and pinks are great - beautifully unique cast of characters, Ashora meeting him ia a great step to more fun stuff - you have a beautiful brain - Seeing them sitting on the roof, I can imagine A rope ladder in ice cream colors would be fun. - FaceApp and you, it's a great combination - Ice cream. Icecream. Iccream. I scream. - I showed this to my niece and nephew as they are very into ice cream vans after watching a certain Shaun the sheep episode over and over again. They like -You could make that cute puppet alive or harboring a spirit. Maybe also give him an ice cream cone hat and make him into the ice cream company's now twisted mascot. Everything is possible in the Astraverse. (Well not everything, but it sounds a lot more interesting than 'a lot ')
Posts : 7223 Join date : 2019-01-11 Location : the far, bright center
Certainly didn't intend my comments on the van in a critical sense, as I thought it looks absolutely awesome and is perfect for Astra-verse as it is. But since the subject had been brought up, I just offered some suggestions into the air...
_________________
"The happy ending of the fairy tale, the myth, and the divine comedy of the soul, is to be read, not as a contradiction, but as a transcendence of the universal tragedy of man."
Ignoring current 'official' Star Wars content for my own sanity.
Posts : 1461 Join date : 2018-06-11 Age : 31 Location : Puerto Rico
Scoops is straight up one of the creepiest and coolest (no pun intended) figures I've seen, he's got that creepy clown vibe. Great work, his hat and the weird ice cream truck just make him more interesting.
_________________ I do this for fun, otherwise it would be my job.
I'm so ecstatic for all of the comments, and that I can always entertain this community with my offbeat creations!! It means a lot, hehe.
Lynkhart wrote:Oh I love this! The shots of him knocking over the other wastelander are hilarious. XD
A pity the van is so tall, was it for 18” dolls originally?
Hahaha, yeah it is actually for a brand called Our Generation, but aside from the vehicles, most of the rest of their accessories are quite close to 1/6 scale, so I didn't mind too much.
GubernatorFan wrote:Excellent. I'm not much into clown-like make up and stuff, but I absolutely love this addition to Astraverse (we'll keep saying it, it's a thing!). The ice cream truck is huge. And I still love your new female character and her sense of humor. I just don't understand what happened to cause the accident. But the figures, truck, setting, and photography are beautiful and your work on the truck most impressive.
Thanks Gub! I too often stray away from generalized clown stuff, but I thought this was a more unique and creative take on the style, and had more potential for diversity. I did want to give him a giant airhorn gun just for fun, but couldn't find one. Funny story, the accident scene was actually quite challenging to capture from the angles I wanted because the sun was practically glaring outside, and I meant to add in some blinding sun glare effect to legitimize the reasoning for the crash, but forgot to.
Valiarde wrote:Let me start with a famous quote from a songwriter: "Respect to the man in the icecream van." -HPBaxxter
It is really the best way to sell ice cream
1. just ram into your customers, 2. pretend it was the "icy" road 3. ??? 4. profit
I like your characters, they all have this super used look. The striped leg of scoops is a nice touch with the striped arms. On the first pic i lreally liked the ice cream van on the second I though: Wow this is huge, the figure looks a bit lost in it even. But I like both your vehicles and the scenes on top of the van.
The best thing about your figures is the theme, you can go in any backyard and have a nice postapocalyptic option.
Well that is the perfect quote for Scoops, no doubt. Perhaps he is a bit of a con artist, albeit with good intentions. Better yet it's fun to imagine he is some kind of deity or angel in disguise, steering lost boys and girls in the right direction, or something like that. Also glad you dig my take on the character and showing more of his exposed stripes. Here is what the original looks like:
You are right about the convenience of the theme and having access to a large backyard. I like taking a stab at custom dioramas every now and then, but the great outdoors just seems to be so much more flexible especially when photographing huge toy vehicles.
BAMComix wrote:Wow! what a great character and concept! Everything about this is so cool!. I also enjoyed the backstory you wrote, very interesting. I thought at first he was going to be some kind of nut or crazy killer, but he actually turned out just to be a nice but weird guy. I agree with the others, the accident sequence of pics is superb! I hope we get to see more of him,
Appreciate the kind praise once again BAM, happy you are enjoying the new character and backstory as much as I enjoyed bringing it to fruition. I have a habit of combating social norms and biases in my work, and giving what seem like the monsters a bit more humanity. You will definitely see more of Mr. Scoops, he is such a fun figure to pose and I am only scratching the surface with him!! HEADS UP: Next time we get to see a display of his legendary Klown Fu fighting style. Some noses will be honked and bonked, flip kicks will be followed up by some roundhouse wedgies, etc.
skywalkersaga wrote:What a creepy and awesome looking character! His design is absolutely superb! And overall adorable little photo story.
Your paintjob on that ice cream van is so creative, I love it. The colour, especially!
Regarding how overly large the vehicle is, I wonder if raising the driver's seat a bit higher might help make the figure look a little less dwarfed by it? and I bet some of that space at the top of the van could be converted somehow into a loft or something for him to sleep in, like a camper van.
Thanks Sky! I wasn't sure how I wanted to design the van at first, or whether I should change the color completely, but glad I decided on some heavy weathering instead to only 'dim' the original teal color. The thing about adjusting the seat is that Scoops' feet already don't reach the foot pedals, so it would only work from certain angles. But you have given me an idea of how fun it would be to raise him up a bit more with a whoopee cushion or something of that sort. There are actual cabinets and drawers inside for storing things, which I haven't shown off yet (it will be interesting to navigate photographing the interior), but some kind of bed pallet in between there isn't a bad idea either!
tankgirlfuzzy wrote:This is creepy, and humorous, and just brilliantly executed! Really love the "lived in" look with all the weathering and fraying and strategically placed wear and tear (it's kinda what I'm into ). I actually think the oversized van is perfect, makes it look way more like a "clown car" and bizarre. A correctly scaled van wouldn't have been as funny and creepy.
Great job!
Nice to hear we are on the same level of aesthetic appreciation! Weathering and adding grit/texture is one of my biggest addictions in this hobby, it's just interesting to see how it totally transforms the mood and appearances of everything.
Stryker2011 wrote:Creepy weird. Especially that first pic -- I honestly thought he was going to turn out to be some sort of serial killer. (I've seen WAY too many previews for movies that I don't even plan to see). Very cool. So, who's the more reckless driver? Nice use of FaceApp.
Well I definitely wanted to deviate from the obvious or expected, appearances can always be deceiving in my verse. lol I imagine Scoops as more of an anti-hero than a cold-blooded villain. Maybe some secrets from his past will be 'dug up' in time. Literally. I think Ashora and Scoops are both equally reckless thrill seekers, that's why they will be such a fun duo to play around with.
Ovy wrote:Beautiful work again sir. Thinking of your Halloween costumes you once posted I can totally see you sporting that beautiful hat.
- I also get some nice sincere vibes from him, some how. While of course he still has that serial killer vibe Stryker mentioned, he does not seem like that kind of ice cream van guy who abducts people in his ice cream van. - I agree with that fuzzy tank girl, I actually love how 'wrong 'and huge the van looks, like you could fit an army of icecream clown robots in there. Playing a distorted ice cream jingle tune. - I like bright colors dampened but still shining through apocalyptic mold a lot. The dirty whites, bright vlues and pinks are great - beautifully unique cast of characters, Ashora meeting him ia a great step to more fun stuff - you have a beautiful brain - Seeing them sitting on the roof, I can imagine A rope ladder in ice cream colors would be fun. - FaceApp and you, it's a great combination - Ice cream. Icecream. Iccream. I scream. - I showed this to my niece and nephew as they are very into ice cream vans after watching a certain Shaun the sheep episode over and over again. They like -You could make that cute puppet alive or harboring a spirit. Maybe also give him an ice cream cone hat and make him into the ice cream company's now twisted mascot. Everything is possible in the Astraverse. (Well not everything, but it sounds a lot more interesting than 'a lot ')
Hehe, I never got to wear the prosthetic mask or giant foam cone hat, but I did get to touch them. I would've worn them if given the chance, though!!
-Don't tempt me with ideas for a 'clown gang,' lol. I mean my weird brain is already imagining a robo clown family piled up with Scoops; a wife, two kids, a baby and a grandma. He is a tinkerer on the side and rebuilt his deceased family because he missed them so much.
-That rope ladder idea is actually pretty cool, and there is plenty of room for more upgrades and outside influences now that Ashora has come on board. I mean they're gonna have to tie that bike to the back of the truck to get it to a garage or repair station of some kind.
- I am honored that you approved of my creations enough to share with the younglings. My own nephew has a thing for ice cream trucks and clowns from watching those ridiculous homemade videos on YouTube. He was actually constantly on my case about how I should give the truck to him, and that toys aren't for adults, hahaha. And he got so concerned when he saw that I was weathering it. "Nooo you're ruining it!"
- That is a good idea for the puppet, did no one notice it is actually a tiny Joker voodoo doll? I got him and the whole Justice League from a bubble gum machine at this Chinese restaurant a long time ago. lol
skywalkersaga wrote:Certainly didn't intend my comments on the van in a critical sense, as I thought it looks absolutely awesome and is perfect for Astra-verse as it is. But since the subject had been brought up, I just offered some suggestions into the air...
Nah you are good! Suggestions are always welcome. I didn't realize until bringing the thing home that it was oversized a bit, haha. But you definitely got some ideas flowing, maybe a pair of stilt or springy leg extensions to make Scoops taller, connected to a pair of those giant oversized clown shoes. And he can bounce around like a kangaroo or something of that sort.
Posts : 620 Join date : 2021-01-25 Location : Germany
very cool stuff again. like the guy.
the oversize of the vehicle somehow fits into your world, I‘d say (in my interpretation), where many things just „do not match anymore“, turned creepy or strange or got lost. The huge ice scream variations would look too odd in a „more regular“ scene, but here they work just fine. Ashora seems to enjoy.
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The shots of him knocking over the other wastelander are hilarious. XD
). I actually think the oversized van is perfect, makes it look way more like a "clown car" and bizarre. A correctly scaled van wouldn't have been as funny and creepy. 
I think Ashora and Scoops are both equally reckless thrill seekers, that's why they will be such a fun duo to play around with.
